Dino baby card

As so many other crafters, I have accumulated quite a stash of crafting supplies. But I also have a stash of small paper pieces, half finished projects, stamped images that I didn't end up using. And I can't throw any of it away, but it all ends up in various boxes and folders. I'm challenging myself now and again to make a project only with the bits and pieces I find in these boxes and folders. And originally this card contained nothing but stuff from the stash - the dinosaurs are from the bunch of critters I coloured while laying on the beach in Cape Verde (that seems so long ago now). But I didn't like the green cardstock I used for the grass, so I switched it to this polkadot one, which technically also was from the stash but not one of the tiny little paper scraps but I had to cut it out from a bigger piece. But I like the look of the card much better like this.

This card was inspired by two challenges, Freshly Made Sketches and The Color Throwdown. The sketch immediately got my imagination racing, and I was thinking what I could use to replace the flowers. And what better than two dinosaurs!! I'm also entering the card in this week's Addicted to Stamps and more where the theme is Clean and Simple.

Cardstock: Leonardo Stationery 300 gsm and 350 gsm white card, Daler & Rowney 300 gsm Aquafine watercolour paper, Stampin' Up Pink Pirouette

Paper: Stampin' Up Patterns Stack Brights

Stamps: Lawn Fawn Critters from the Past, Paper Smooches A Little Lovin'

Ink: Tsukineko Staz-on, Tim Holtz distress markers and Stampin' Up Blender Pen, Blushing Bride

Other: Lawn Fawn Critters from the Past die, Grassy Border die, Sizzix large embossing folder Birthday Stars 

Floral Celebration

Looks like my lil' old mojo came back for a short visit this morning, and I finally managed to finish my card for this week's Fusion challenge, which I have been attempting for days, only producing things that went right into the bin. But this morning I managed to put this card together. Not my best one, but good enough for public scrutiny. I'm also entering this week's Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge where anything goes this week.

I adore the Penny Black Life's Messages stamp set I used for the sentiment. It is one of those stamps that I just had to have when I saw it, and it did involve quite an intricate hunt over the interwebs before I managed to secure it. I love to use it for scrapbooking (see here) and I have used it on some faux chalkboard cards (see here). It's just so versatile. The little star in the sketch immediately became a flower in my mind, and I even managed to use up the green leaves I had coloured in when I was testing some markers the other day. It's always great to get rid of things in your stash, isn't it!

Cardstock: Cream linen textured card from my stash, Hobbycraft 160 gsm cream card
Paper: Stampin' Up Patterns Stack Brights and Polka dot parade DSP
Stamps: Penny Black Life's Messages, Stampin' Up Flower Shop, Petite Petals and Mixed Bunch
Inks: Stampin' Up Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie and Regal Rose
Other: Lace from my stash, Stampin' Up Basic Pearls, matching punches for the flower stamps

Needlecraft

I seem to have misplaced my crafting mojo. My craft room is filled with started but never finished cards, none of which turned out in life as they looked in my mind's eye. I just can't get there. So I decided to turn to another form of crafting while waiting for good ol' mojo to get back. I hope it won't be too long now, but in the meantime I thought I would gear up for winter. I used to knit a lot, and when my Mum shipped over all of my stuff from the homeland last winter, the shipment included a big batch of wool (well, actually it was much reduced from what it was originally, but there is still a few sweaters worth in there). I picked up some leftover wool and made these little things to warm my paws when the poor little piggies get cold in wintertime.

I have to admit I have never learned to read knitting patterns in English, all the patterns I have are in Finnish or Swedish. And to be honest, I can knit a pair of socks in my sleep, so I don't need a pattern for them. But I guess if I ever come across a nice enough knitting pattern I will figure it out what all the things are called in English. Until then, I might just stick with my Finnish patters, out of pure laziness. Oh and don't despair, I promise the next post will be a card.

Roses and lace

I promise this will be my last Rose Garden card for a while. But I saw this great sketch on RetroSketches, and combined with the "Use at least three different patterned papers" challenge over at Craft your Passion this week, I couldn't resist using this lovely set for one more card (you can see the others here, here and here). I used the same type of elements I have for the other cards, lace, die cuts and a sentiment printed onto vellum. I finally ordered some pearls which I didn't use to have in my stash and this card was the perfect opportunity to use them. I am also submitting the card to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge as well as the Clear it Out Challenge, where anything goes this week.

Card: Leonardo Stationery 350 gsm smooth white card, Coloured 240 gsm kraft card in Purple Grape, Dovecraft 110 gsm premium vellum
Paper: Marianne design Rose Garden DSP and decoupage kit (free with the current issue of Cardmaking&Papercraft magazine)
Other: Stampin' Up Basic pearls, lace from my stash, Tim Holtz Alterations Vintage Lace die

Seed storage

It's not often the Culinary Consultant asks me to make anything, but this is something he thought would be "for the crafting department", and I was more than happy to oblige. What was needed was a storage solution for the seeds we are collecting from our harvest and need to be stored until next spring. So I created a template for a tiny little envelope and made a box for them to go in. I mostly used left over pieces of cardstock that I had lying around, it was a great way to get rid of them. I made a little circular label on the envelopes to indicate what is inside, and added some banners just because punching is fun.

Cardstock: Hobbycraft 160 gsm Three shades of Green, Yellow and Blue
Other: Lawn Fawn grassy border die, Stampin' Up Banner and circle punch, Sizzix Bug in A Rug alphabet dies

Splat!

I have been feeling restless all day. I tried to craft but didn't feel very creative, so I had a browse around the Blogosphere for inspiration and inspiring challenges. When I saw the current Always Playing with Paper/Merry Monday challenge, I immediately thought of a tutorial (which unfortunately I cannot acknowledge as I can't for my life remember where I saw it) about using alcohol markers to colour white heat embossing on black cardstock. I immediately thought the challenge and the sketch would be perfect for trying out this technique. I did interpret the sketch very literally, but sometimes you just need to take the easy way out. I did enjoy colouring in all the small splatters, it kept my mind busy as I was singing loudly along to very embarrassing music from my youth. 

I am also linking up my card to this week's Craft Your Passion challenge where the theme this week is to add something yellow to your card. I am also entering this week's Clear It Out challenge where the theme is embossing and the stash item is embossing powder/folder. For this card, I only used stuff from my stash. The black card was from a leftover piece of cardstock, the orange card in the background is from a bunch of orange papers which have been in my stash for so long I thought they would disintegrate soon, and the colouring was done with my beloved Sharpies I got for Christmas last year. For some added bling, I added a bit of Distress stickles in yellow and orange, although they don't show very well on the photo.

Cardstock: Leftover black and orange cardstock from my stash, Leonardo Stationery 350 gsm smooth white card

Stamps: Stampin' Up Gorgeous Grunge, Paper Smooches Sentiment Sampler

Ink: Tsukineko Versamark

Other: 80's glam Sharpies, Tim Holtz distress stickles in Mustard Seed and Spiced Marmelade, Papermania Seafoam White embossing powder

Gingerbread house card

I made a few gingerbread house cards last Christmas using the free Gingerbread Lane DSP, chipboard shape and foam sticker set that came with the Christmas 2013 issue of Papercraft inspirations magazine, you can see them here. I was left with one more gingerbread house shape, so I thought I might as well just get it over and done with and assemble the card so it's ready for Christmas. I think this card shows once again that you can do so much with freebies and you don't always have to buy expensive stuff to put together a card (not that I object to buying new stuff, but I do want to make sure I focus on using my stash from time to time too!)

I am determined not to have that hectic "stay awake every night for a week" rush to complete my Christmas cards this year. Hopefully I have started the process early enough and will keep on adding a few Christmas cards from time to time to build up my stash before December comes knocking on the door.

Card: Craft UK kraft card
Other: Jennifer Ellory Gingerbread Lane DSP, chipboard shapes and foam sticker set, free with the Christmas 2013 issue of Papercraft Inspirations Magazine.